“You know, I was hoping my omega would be happier to see me.” I cough as I rub my stomach. Her skinny elbow hit the mark, alright, and I groan as I rise.
Ollie in tight black leggings and a long-sleeved Lycra top is everything I could have dreamed of, but her glare deepens as she catches me running my gaze over her. But that’s not why I’m here.
“That’s strange, because I don’t know you,” she says as she props her hands on her hips. “You can’t be my alpha, because my alpha wouldn’t mess around with me and then sneak up on me like a creep when he’s already on thin fucking ice.”
I grimace because she has another fair point. Even if she didn’t have her earbuds in when I approached her, acting cozy with her isn’t my best play.
From the way she’s almost snarling, whatever happened with Timber must have gotten to her, too.
I’m going to go out on a limb and assume it’s my fault.
“Can’t I just come and see you?” I ask. “I was looking forward to our talk about what a shit person I am, but I haven’t heard from you all week.”
“You shouldn’t even know where I live. How did you know I’d be here this early in the morning?”
I had to drive an hour to get to this part of town, so no wonder she’s suspicious.
I place a hand on my heart, sighing whimsically. “Our connection is so strong that I can feel you wherever you are inthe world.” She folds her arms and keeps glaring, which turns me on more than anything. “Or maybe I heard it on the wind?” And the corner of her lip hitches, but, for some mysterious reason, she doesn’t buy it. So I give it another go. “Or maybe your brother told me this is where you jog every morning.”
“Oh, did he now?” she asks as her brows raise.
“We may never know.” I shrug.
I want to stamp the image of a pissed-off but smirking Ollie into my mind. If Timber stands behind her, glaring at me as well, it would be the perfect picture.
“So, do you want to keep running?” I ask.
“Why do I have the feeling you’re going to turn it into something sexy?”
“I can if you want me to. I honestly just came to be your friend, nothing else.”
“I don’t want a friend, Kane. I’m happy by myself.”
“What if you need one though?”
Her gaze narrows again. “I’m not in the mood for your tricks.”
“I swear I won’t try anything,” I say as I hold up my hands. Except most of my plans involve tricking my mates in one way or another.
The air thickens with tension. If she says no, I really will go. But I’ve been rolling around in guilt and anxiety because she left before I could properly apologize last time. I just hope to hell absence actually makes the heart grow fonder, like Marilyn said, because I don’t know what I’ll do without her or Timber.
Ollie sighs as she turns and takes off, and I see that as my cue to follow.
I stay quiet as we run along a flat path and get into a rhythm, but it’s hard to do when the run makes me intensely aware of her. As I work up a sweat, lavender wafts in the air around us along with the fog of our warm breaths in the cold air, and I’m getting carried away just inhaling the blend of our scents.
I’m waiting for the right time to talk. I’ve rehearsed how I’ll say it, and noted all the things I’ve done that could have made her angry, along with reasons for all of them and why I shouldn’t have done it.
“Oh my God, you could at least make it look like this is an effort?” she suddenly bursts out.
My eyes widen as I look back at her in surprise. I got so wrapped up in my thoughts, I didn’t realize I left her behind. Now she’s red-faced and panting as I’m casually jogging along ten yards ahead of her.
“Well, I work out for an hour or two a day by myself and more with personal trainers. I have to keep myself fit to play,” I say as I slow down to run beside her.
I nearly groan as I realize I sound like a dickhead again. She doesn’t glare, but I can tell from her expression that she thinks I’m bragging.
Except that she gave me another one of her small smiles, so it isn’t all bad.
“This is basically a walk in the park for you. I’m over here gasping away, and you’re not even trying!”
